Why would you ever want to get rid of a client/customer? After all, don’t you head out every day on a mission to build your client/customer base, not tear it down? The answer may shock you, and the truth is that all successful businesses turn away business.

I was visiting with a client the other day who is in the financial planning industry. He is one of his company’s top national performers, and has been for several years.  Aside from consistent hard work and relationship building that attribute to his success, he gives away nearly $1,000,000 worth of business each year.

“There are some clients who I’m excited to work with, others who I dread meeting with. Those who take up too much space in my head for me to focus on the positive, I give away,” he explains.

Cleaning out your client list is not an uncommon practice among high achievers. It is vitally important that you follow a few simple steps, though.

1. Clearly establish who your ideal client/customer is, and why you are a great fit for them. Regardless of what product or service you may sell, trying to be everything for everyone is a recipe for disaster. This minute bit of planning will save you mountains of cash in the long run.
2. Be aware of your feelings when thinking of meeting with this customer or type of customer. Direct marketing legend Dan Kennedy says, “If I wake up three mornings in a row thinking about you, and I’m not married to you…you’re fired.” Let’s face it…some people are very taxing on our psyches. I’ve had bad gut feelings about certain event planners or coaching clients. When your gut is ignored, bad things happen.
3. Embrace the idea that you are making room for great clients.  Nature will not tolerate a void. When you remove negative people from your life, this makes room for better people to move in! My friend, Randy Gage, has a great blog about removing negative people from your life. Read it here. 

Keep in mind that you need to continuously keep filling the sales funnel for your business while purging bad clients.

What are some client management tactics that have worked for you? Comment below.